After more than 50 years on the road, Elton John has officially retired from touring.
The renowned artist performed his final tour act at Stockholm’s Tele2 Arena on Saturday, the final stop on his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour.
“I’ve had the most incredible career, beyond words. How fortunate am I to be able to play music for 52 years?” John, 76, told the audience as he finished his concert with “Your Song” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.”
“But, you know, if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you. You bought the singles, albums, CDs, and cassettes, but more importantly, you bought the concert tickets, and you know how much I enjoy performing live.”
After the show, the five-time Grammy winner thanked his fans for their unending support spanning more than five decades.
“My fans have been there for me every step of the way.” They’ve remained with me, they’ve supported me, they’ve been patient, and they’ve been coming to every single event,” he stated in a post-show statement, according to Consequence.
“Tonight has been a beautiful night. I’m still processing everything, and I don’t believe it’ll take a while before I’m finally done touring. I can’t tell you how much I’m going to miss the fans or how much their love has humbled me – it will live on in my heart forever.”
At one point during the event, the “Tiny Dancer” singer received a special message from Chris Martin, who was performing with his band, Coldplay, in Sweden at the same time.
“Elton, we just wanna say, from all of us here, from all the bands and artists that you’ve loved, inspired, and helped, we just love you so much,” Martin, 46, said in part. “We love you tremendously. Happy retirement and we’ll miss you terribly, dude.”
John, who has been traveling since 1970, took to Instagram earlier Saturday to deliver a poignant message before of the highly anticipated event.
“What a journey this tour has been, and now we find ourselves at the end of it,” he wrote. “Tonight is the final night.”
While John is no longer traveling, he and his management have previously announced that fans can expect to see him perform in some way in the coming years.
“It’s essential to distinguish between Elton retiring from touring and Elton not performing his very last public performance for the very last time,” John’s husband and manager, David Furnish, told Billboard last November.
“I know he will not be touring in any capacity. What you’ll see is the prospect of a spectacular one-time event or a short residency in a single place for a limited time.”
My Brother Kept Insulting My Husband for Being “Just an Electrician”, I Wanted to Teach Him a Lesson, but Karma Did It Better
Growing up, my brother and I couldn’t be more different. Even though we were born into a family of successful professionals, our personalities and paths diverged. While I ended up marrying a successful electrician, my brother, Jack, never quite shook off his lawyer persona.
Our upbringing was comfortable, thanks to our hardworking parents. Dad ran his own business, and Mom was a brain surgeon. But Jack always had a knack for flaunting his wealth, despite never making the effort to start his own law firm.
In contrast, I preferred a more low-key lifestyle, running my own successful business. My husband, Mark, was the real success story, though. He was not just an electrician but a savvy businessman who had attended business school to turn his skills into a thriving enterprise.
Despite our success, we kept our wealth private and lived modestly. Mark was particularly generous, channeling a significant portion of his income into charity and investments.
Our family dynamics came to a head one day when Jack couldn’t resist bragging about his lavish lifestyle and poking fun at Mark’s profession. It was the final straw for me, but before I could teach him a lesson, karma stepped in.
During a family barbecue, Jack’s beloved Porsche was repossessed, revealing his financial downfall. He had lost his job and was struggling to make ends meet. It was a humbling experience for him, and he realized the value of hard work and humility.
In the end, Mark offered Jack a job at his business, teaching him the value of honest work. Jack accepted the offer, and with time, he transformed into a better person, leaving behind his arrogant ways.
Life has a funny way of teaching us lessons when we least expect it. Jack’s downfall was a wake-up call for him, and with the support of our family, he was able to turn his life around for the better.
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